How life has changed in Blaenau Gwent

Blaenau Gwent's population decreased by about 200 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population changed very little

In the decade to 2011, the population of Blaenau Gwent remained close to 69,800.

The loss of just under 300 people means this area's population was the most rapidly-declining in Wales, while Blaenau Gwent remained the third-least populous local authority area in the country.

In 2011, Blaenau Gwent was home to, on average, 4.6 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Blaenau Gwent

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Blaenau Gwent increased by three years, from 38 to 41 years.

This area had a slightly higher average age than Merthyr Tydfil (one of the most statistically similar areas to Blaenau Gwent based on ONS area classifications) (40 years of age) and had a similar age to the average local authority area across Wales (41 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 1,900 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 15.0% of people in Blaenau Gwent are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in proportion of Welsh speakers

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Blaenau Gwent fell from 9.1% to 7.9% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

There are 857 fewer people living here who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 410.

In Caerphilly (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Blaenau Gwent), 11.2% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, similar to the 2001 figure. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 20.5% to 19.0%.

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was lower than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Religion in Blaenau Gwent

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Blaenau Gwent was among those who said they had no religion, rising 16.8 points.

In 2011, 44.7% of respondents in Blaenau Gwent gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 27.9% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Wales, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 20.2% to 34.7%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Blaenau Gwent, 54.3% said they were Christian, compared with 71.4% in 2001. About 0.4% said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism, compared with 0.3% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they were Muslim increased from 0.2% to 0.3%.

In Blaenau Gwent, 8.1% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 10.0% in 2001. Across Wales, 7.6% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 8.1% in 2001.

The population that said they had no religion in Blaenau Gwent increased by 17 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in Wales, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in social renting

Blaenau Gwent saw Wales' largest fall in the proportion of socially rented homes.

In 2011, just under one in four (24.0%) households in Blaenau Gwent lived in social housing, compared with 28.8% in 2001. The percentage of privately rented homes increased from 6.8% to 12.8%.

Denbighshire saw Wales' next largest rise in the proportion of socially rented homes (from 13.1% to 13.1%).

The rate of social housing in Blaenau Gwent decreased by 4.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Wales that rented socially, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

Blaenau Gwent saw Wales' second-largest rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple.

During this period, Blaenau Gwent overtook 11 local authority areas, including Gwynedd and Newport, to become the Wales local authority area with the fifth-highest percentage of cohabiting households.

In 2011, just over 1 in 10 (10.4%) households in Blaenau Gwent had an unmarried couple, compared with 7.1% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising just one person increased from 30.1% to 31.6%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple occurred in Merthyr Tydfil (from 6.4% to 10.5%).

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Blaenau Gwent increased by 3.2 percentage points

Percentage of households in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Wales that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

Blaenau Gwent saw Wales' largest rise in the proportion of unemployed people.

During this period, Blaenau Gwent overtook Isle of Anglesey to become the Wales local authority area with the highest percentage of unemployed people.

In 2011, just over 1 in 15 (6.9%) people aged 16 to 74 in Blaenau Gwent said they were unemployed, compared with 4.7% in 2001. The percentage that were employed increased from 45.9% to 48.1%.

Merthyr Tydfil saw Wales' next largest rise in the proportion of unemployed people (from 4.0% to 5.7%).

The rate of unemployment in Blaenau Gwent increased by 2.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Wales that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Blaenau Gwent

Blaenau Gwent saw Wales' second-largest fall in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

During this period, Blaenau Gwent fell below to become the Wales local authority area with the second-lowest percentage of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just under 1 in 16 (6.2%) in Blaenau Gwent reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 6.8% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 5.7% to 6.3%.

Wales' largest decrease in the proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability occurred in Wrexham (from 7.5% to 6.6%).

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

More single people in Blaenau Gwent

Blaenau Gwent saw Wales' third-largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

During this period, Blaenau Gwent overtook Rhondda Cynon Taf, Caerphilly and Wrexham to become the Wales local authority area with the seventh-highest percentage of single people.

In 2011, just over one in three (34.2%) people aged 16 and over in Blaenau Gwent said they were single, compared with 27.2% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 51.0% to 44.5%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership occurred in Cardiff (from 37.7% to 45.0%) followed by Merthyr Tydfil (from 28.2% to 35.3%).

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership in Blaenau Gwent increased by 7.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Wales that said they were single, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes with adult children living with their parents

Blaenau Gwent saw Wales' third-largest rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

During this period, Blaenau Gwent overtook Rhondda Cynon Taf to become the Wales local authority area with the second-highest percentage of households with only adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just over one in eight (13.1%) households in Blaenau Gwent had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 11.7% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 31.9% to 29.1%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents occurred in Merthyr Tydfil (from 11.7% to 14.2%) followed by Bridgend (from 10.4% to 12.0%).

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across Wales

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Blaenau Gwent residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 16.5% to 10.7% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 7 in 10 (72.6%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 59.3% in 2001. The percentage of Blaenau Gwent residents that described their health as fair decreased from 24.2% to 16.8%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to nearby Caerphilly (which remained close 9.3%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 12.5% to 7.6%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Blaenau Gwent decreased by 5.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Wales said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Blaenau Gwent working less than 16 hours increased from 1.0% to 2.5% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 14 (7.2%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 8.0% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to nearby Caerphilly (which remained close 2.3%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 1.7% to 3.0%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Blaenau Gwent increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Wales that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Blaenau Gwent residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.0% to 2.3% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 3.8%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to nearby Caerphilly (which remained close 2.0%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 1.5% to 1.8%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Blaenau Gwent remained close to 2.3%

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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